Train wreck leaves a mess

No serious injuries or spills in Fonda-area derailment; cause still undetermined

By Bryan Fitzgerald and Eric Anderson

Updated 9:51 pm, Thursday, June 27, 2013

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A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

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A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

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A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

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A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

A multi-car train derailment closed a large swarth of Route 5 in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

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Fire apparatus stands watch at a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Fire apparatus stands watch at a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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A large freight train has derailed June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

A large freight train has derailed June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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A CSX worker walks near a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

A CSX worker walks near a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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An ENCON officer looks over a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

An ENCON officer looks over a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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An ENCON officer and a CSX official walk near a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

An ENCON officer and a CSX official walk near a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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A Montgomery County Sheriff's deputy walks near a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

A Montgomery County Sheriff's deputy walks near a large freight train derailment June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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A large freight train has derailed June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

A large freight train has derailed June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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A large freight train has derailed June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the shutting down of the railroad tracks as well. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

A large freight train has derailed June 27, 2013, in the area of State Route 5 and Martin Road in the Town of Mohawk, N.Y. Freight is splayed over a large area which has caused the closing of Route 5 and the ... more

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo holds a news conference at the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo holds a news conference at the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo gets briefed when he visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo gets briefed when he visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo gets briefed when he visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo gets briefed when he visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo visits the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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A container spilled its contents at the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

A container spilled its contents at the site of a train derailment on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Mohawk, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Train wreck leaves a mess

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Mohawk

A corner of Montgomery County came to a standstill Thursday after a freight train derailment along a busy Mohawk Valley corridor blocked a section of Route 5, affected Amtrak passenger service and brought a personal visit from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Two trains coming from opposite directions sideswiped each other for an as yet undetermined reason at about 8 a.m., CSX spokesman Bob Sullivan said.

A conductor and engineer suffered minor injuries at the scene, which left several rail cars carrying dry goods, lumber, garbage and other cargo sheared and crumpled, officials said.

In one case a tanker rammed a boxcar, part of which landed on Route 5.

Sullivan said some diesel fuel leaked from the locomotives. Georgeson said it didn't appear that fuel had reached the nearby Mohawk River, though absorbent booms were placed in the river as a precaution. He also said a fuel additive residue car came to rest on its side, but it didn't appear to be leaking.

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Montgomery County Sheriff Michael Amato said a switch on the tracks may be to blame for the derailment.

"I'm not sure how they sideswiped. I think there is a change to the other track," he said.

Cuomo, coming in from Utica, stopped at the scene in the late afternoon to survey the damage. Standing a few feet from bags of spilled food on the Route 5 and Martin Road intersection, the governor said the state response includes the DEC and State Police, but said the removal operation is primarily a private one.

He said assumptions shouldn't be made before a cause is found.

Cuomo expressed relief that despite the "tremendous damage" there was no serious injury, and amazement at how the trains can get tossed around.

Scores of CSX workers and contractors using large equipment worked steadily. The sheriff said CSX officials told authorities they hoped to have the train car removed from Route 5 by Thursday night. But the state Department of Transportation will have to examine the pavement before deciding if the road needs repair. At least a couple of dozen people live along the 12-mile stretch of Route 5 from Route 334 in Mohawk to Route 10 in Palatine that was closed off, Amato said Just when the traffic will return to normal was unclear.

A total of about 45 cars and four locomotives derailed, CSX's Sullivan said.

One train was headed east from Avon, Ind., to Selkirk and the other was traveling west from Selkirk to New Castle, Pa., at the time of the accident, Sullivan said. The eastbound train was hauling four locomotives and 126 freight cars, while the westbound train had two locomotives and 83 freight cars.

Amtrak posted an early-evening advisory on its website:

Empire Service trains will run Friday with alternate transportation to points west of Albany with these exceptions:

Empire Service between New York Penn Station and Albany will operate on a normal Friday schedule. Lake Shore Limited (between Chicago and New York) will run with alternate transportation provided between Buffalo and Albany, the advisory said.

The route sees as many as 60 freight trains a day. Sheriff Amato said trains run through the area at a rate of one every 10 or 15 minutes.

At Lost Boyz Auto Sales about 11/2 miles from the derailment, Scott Boyer was at the car lot early and heard a train headed west before a loud thud just down the tracks.